Desk pedestal construction



May 11, 1965 J. P. l-:RlcsoN ETAL 3,183,049

I DESK PEDESTL CONSTRUCTION Original Filed June 2O 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H zerzlzows PWM@ lxflxm ruimt@ 4v... AHUIHMMHL l ||4 www MW .lHJ m/dllmvalu W s i. 2 I Alumni Pu i ....I MM lln. 2. a wll 1h13 MINI ll up .nl T.

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May 11 1965 J. P. ERlcsoN ETAI. 3,183,049

DESK PEDESTAL CONSTRUCTION Original Filed June 20. 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f1 1|' l@ 411 Il" .Imi ''mlll Il [MUNI .IlI

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llllllilll 4 if y willIt United States Patent() 3,183,049 DESK PEDESTAL CONSTRUCTION John P. Ericson, St. Charles, and Bruce 0. Buhrmaster, North Aurora, Ill., assigmors to All-Steel Equipment Inc., a corporation of Illinois Original application June 20, 1963, Ser. No. 289,177. Divided and this application June 2,1964, Ser. No.

3 Claims. (Cl. S12-221) This application is a division of my co-pending applica-V tion, Serial No. 289,177, tiled June 20, 1963.

This invention relates to a pedestal construction'for office` furniture, such as desks, credcnzas, and the like, and more particularly the invention is concerned with a unique pedestal framing arrangement and with a lock assembly whichl may readily be installed in the pedestal vfor controlling drawer latching facilities in the usual way.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simplified pedestal framing arrangement to ensure pedestal squareness andV thereby achieve good drawer alignment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pedstal framing arrangement suitable for use in interchangeable component metal office furniture constructions.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel pedestal framing arrangement and separate drawer lock assembly for ready connection thereto.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will bejcome apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specication and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame:

FIG. l is a fragmentary elevational view of a pedestal type desk constructed in accordance with the present invention; f

FIG. 2 is a perspective View of the Apedestal shell and framing structure of thisinvention; and y y FIG. 2A is an enlarged fragmentary perspective View of a reinforced corner detail; and y FIGS.' 3 and 4 are detail sectional views taken respectively on the lines 3 3 and lll-4, as indicated in FIG.- l, and with the drawers removed from the pedestalV to facilitate the disclosure. l

Referringnow to the drawings, and particularly to FG. l, a desk incorporating this invention is designated generally at and includes a top 11 and a pedestal 12 carried on corner legs 13 and engaging in flush supporting relation with the underface of the top 11. The pedestal 12 as illustrated herein, houses a pair of'slidable drawers 14 and l5 of any conventional type, and a filler panel unit 16 spans the upper edge ofthe pedestal face and houses lock actuating facilities for controlling a` latch bar 17 of any conventional form. A center ller panel 1S is also shown for the desk, but it may be replaced if desired in favor of a center drawer.

The details of the pedestal construction per se are best shown in the perspective views of FIGS. 2 and 2A. lThe pedestal includes frontend rear O-frames 19 and V2l), respectively, embraced by a one-piece wrap-around shell S comprised of a base panel 2l and side panels 22 and 23 projecting correspondingly forwardly in parallel spaced relation from opposite extremities of the base panel. As illustrated herein, the base panel 21 forms the back wall of the pedestal housing and the side panels 22 and 23 form the respective side walls of the pedestal housing. Thus, each of these panels extends vertically and their composite arrangement defines a U-shaped plan outline configuration that borders and defines a drawer mounting space which has itsfront face open, its rearkface closed, and its top and bottom faces open.

m 3,183,049 Patented May 11,1965.

In the preferred shell arrangement illustrated herein, the Aupper horizontal edge of each panel is providedv with an mwardly directed'iange 21U, ZZU, and 23U and the lower horizontal edge of each panel is provided with an inwardly directed flange 21L, ZZL, and 2.3L. The forWard extremity of each side panel 22 and 23k has a generally inwardly directed multiangular flange ZZF and 23F presenting vertical face portions bordering the open front of the pedestal. A bottom panel 24 closes the bottom face of the drawer space `and is rigidlyv secured to the corresponding lower edge panel anges 21L, 22L and 231.. The bottom panel has a generally inwardly directedvmultiangular flange 24F at its forward extremity and presenting a horizontal face across the bottom of the front opening of the pedestal.

The front and rearV O-frames 19 and 20 are of Vgener` ally rectangular outline and oriented vertically and disposed in horizontal alignment withinV the shell S at opposite fore-and-aft extremes of the drawer space.

The front G-frame V19 is comprised of right angularly connected top, bottom, and left and right-hand channelu like rails 19T, 19B, 191, and 19R respectively, of gen-Y erally hat-shaped cross section to presenta groove G' bordered by a channel wall 25 and flanked by exterior and interior edge flanges 26 and 27, respectively, that are secured directly against the corresponding body portions Aof the panels. Similarly, the rear O-frame 20 is comprised of lright angularly connected top, bottom, left and right hand channel like rails 20T, 20B, 291. and 20K, respectively, of generally hat-shaped cross section to present a groove G bordered by a channel wall Z8 and iianked byexterior and interior edge flanges Z9 and 3d, respectively, that are secured directly against the corresponding body portions of the panels. y

Each of the O-frames has a welded reinforced corner construction and these O-frames constitute the principalj load bearing elements of th'epedestal. Their 'rectangular alignment is Vprecise and is depended upon to ensure pedestal squarenessvand to achieve good drawer` alignment.v i i The weak point inO-frames of this general construcvtion is at the corner regions. In the present arrangement,

the use of hat-shapedsections` on allV sides,enables a sturdy corner construction while facilitating part standardization and interchangeable mounting andconnection of the pedestals to the desk top-by` means of elongateddesk top mounting elements 32.

ln the preferred arrangement, the extremities ofthe channel walls 25 and 28 of the vertical rails ML, 13R, ZtlL and ZiiR are punched and bentV out to provide integral right angle side anges F flanking and defining a `corner socket that receives the channel portion of the end of the corresponding horizontal rail. The flanges F, as punched, have corner notches to leave an integral gage portion G projecting endwise from the vertical rail to contact the corresponding horizontal rail andfthereby determine the rail spacing and Vthus facilitate (It-frame assembly. The Vtianges F are spot welded at points Vindicated by Xs, to the channel portion of the corresponding horizontal rail. y v i Each reinforcedcorner construction also includes a welded corner bracket B spot weldedto the adjacent exterior flanges designated 26' in the case of the meeting rail ends of the front O-frame yand 29 in the case'of the meeting rail ends of the rear O-frarne. The brackets-B have a single-topped hole H-which isoriented vertically in the" case of the lower corner brackets and Vhorizontally in the case of the upper corner brackets. This particular O-frame unit construction has a most important Iadditional advantage in that the top and bottom rails of each unit are identical, and the side rails of each unit are identical.`

Moreover, the overall arrangement of the front and rear units are identical, though facing in opposite directions. Thus, only two types of rail elements are required for the makeup of both the front and rear `O-frame units.

The vertical channel walls 25 and 28 of each O-frame have a pre-punched opening arrangement to receive the usual drawer slide attachments. The top rails 19T and 20T of each O-frame open endwise through the pedestal through recesses 31 which are provided to accommodate elongated mounting elements 32 carried in fixed predetermined spaced relation on the underface of the desk top and preferably comprised of C-channel sections. Swing nuts 33, carried on actuating screws 33A that project through the top channel wall 25, are disposed in masked relation within the C-channels to secure the top 11 with respect to the pedestal 12.

In the illustrated arrangement, the outer side panel 23 is substantially masked by an end filler panel 34 that terminates short of the fore and aft extremities of the pedestal to define therewith external vertical corner grooves or recesses for mounting the corner legs 13 within the generally rectangular plan outline of the desk. Each leg 13 is at a location that underlies the corner 11C of the top and that overlaps the outer flange of the corresponding vertical side rail.

To mount each leg 13, a special shouldered screw S, FIG. 4, projects through suitable registered holes provided in the panel 23 and the vertical flange 26 and is engaged in the horizontal hole H of the upper corner bracket B. The upper end of the leg has an upwardly opening slot, not shown, to enable the leg to be slid up wardly into flanking seating engagement with the shouldered screw. At the lower end of the pedestal (see FIG. 1), an L-clip hooks into the leg and underlies the 0- frame to enable a vertical attachment screw V to engage the vertical hole in the adjacent lower corner bracket B.

The filler panel unit 16 across the top of the front face of the pedestalmay comprise a self-contained unit lock assembly. The assembly includes a formed steel plate having a generally U-shaped filler section 36 including a top wall 36T, a front wall 36F, and a bottom wall 36B. The bottom wall 36B is extended inwardly to provide a mounting plate 36P that will underlie in flush relation against the offset channel wall of the top rail 19T of the front `O-frame 19, and mounting screws 37 extend through these Yparts to secure the filler panel assembly 16 in its illustrated position spanning the top edge of the pedestal face.

A lock unit is mounted within the filler section 36 and includes an elongated clip 38 attached to the bottom wall of the filler section and supporting a lock barrel 39 in a position to register with a wall opening provided in the front wall 3GP of the filler section, and preferably centrally thereof. A tumbler 40 is engageable with a lock rod 41 that extends laterally from the rear end of the barrel to adjacent a side edge of the filler section 36. The lock rod 41 is arranged to reciprocate laterally upon turning of the tumbler 40. A lock crank 42 is mounted in an elongated rod bearing 43 provided on the underface of the mounting plate 36P and at its forward end has a small offset 42S engaged to the lock rod 41 to impart cranking motion upon reciprocation thereof. A larger offset 42L is provided at the inner end of the crank and engages the drawer latch bar 17 to shift the same vertically. The crank 42 is engaged with the bar 17 during the time that the ller panel 16 is initially inserted into installed posi-` tion. The two mounting screws 37 are all that are required to secure the parts and the action of the locking arrangement is conventional.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated herein, it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A lock arrangement for controlling a shiftable latch bar positioned within a pedestal having an open front face and equipped with a horizontally slidable drawer that is movable through said face and that is engageable, when in closed position, by said latch bar to restrain such movement, said arrangement including a U-shaped filler panel section including a horizontal top wall, a front Wall and a horizontal bottom wall, one of said horizontal walls having a rearward extension providing a mounting plate for Iattachment internally to said pedestal to dispose said filler panel section across the top of said pedestal face, said front wall having a wall opening, a lock tumbler mounted in said filler panel section, and facing through said wall opening, a mechanism movably mounted to said filler panel unit and engageable with said latch bar upon insertion of said filler panel section into said pedestal, and means connected between said tumbler and said mechanism and responsive to actuation of said tumbler to produce latch bar shifting motion of said mechanism.

2. In a drawer pedestal and drawer lock combination wherein said pedestal has an open front 4face and is equipped with a horizontally slidable drawer that is movable through said face and that is equipped with a shiftable latch bar located inwardly of said face to lock said drawer in closed position, said pedestal having a channel-like rail extending horizontally across an upper region thereof and having a downwardly offset horizontal channel wall fianked by inner and outer anges, and said drawer lock including a filler panel section having a rearwardly extending mounting plate positionable in flush underlying abutment against said channel wall to locate said filler panel section to extend across the top of said pedestal face in fiush underlying abutment against said outer flange, and means for securing said mounting plate to said channel wall to define a mounted position of said filler panel section within said pedestal, said drawer lock including a crank journalled to said mounting plate in underlying relation to said channel wall and having an end engageable with said latch bar when said filler panel section is in mounted position within said pedestal, a lock mounted in said filler panel section and exposed for actuation through a front opening thereof, and mechanism connected to and shiftably operable by said lock and connected .to said crank to produce latch bar shifting 'noltion at said crank end in response to actuation of said 3. A lock arrangement for controlling a shiftable latch bar positioned within a pedestal having an open front face and equipped with a horizontally slidable drawer that is movable through said face and that is engageable, when in closed position, by said latch bar to restrain such movement, said arrangement including a filler panel section having a horizontal top wall, a front wall merging with the horizontal wall, the latter having a rearward extension providing a mounting plate for attachment intern-ally to said pedestal to dispose said ller panel section across the top of said pedestal face with said front wall lying substantially below the upper plane of the pedestal, said front wall having a wall opening, a lock tumbler mounted in said filler panel section, and facing through said wall opening, a mechanism movably mounted to said filler panel unit and engageable with said latch bar upon insertion of said filler panel section into said pedestal, and means connected between said tumbler and said mechanism and responsive to actuation of said tumbler to produce latch bar shifting motion of said mechanism.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,422,631 7/22 Stafford 312-219 2,966,384 12/60 Bergman B12-218 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner. 

3. A LOCK ARRANGEMENT FOR CONTROLLING THE SHIFTABLE LATCH BAR POSITIONED WITHIN A PEDESTAL HAVING AN OPEN FRONT FACE AND EQUIPPED WITH A HORIZONTALLY SLIDABLE DRAWER THAT IS MOVABLE THROUGH SAID FACE AND THAT IS ENGAGEABLE, WHEN IN CLOSED POSITION, BY SAID LATCH BAR TO RESTRAIN SUCH MOVEMENT, AND ARRANGMENT INCLUDING A FILLER PANEL SECTION HAVING A HORIZONTAL TOP WALL, A FRONT WALL MERGING WITH THE HORIZONTAL WALL, THE LATTER HAVING A REARWARD EXTENSION PROVIDING A MOUNTING PLATE FOR ATTACHMENT IN TERNALLY TO SAID PEDESTAL TO DISPOSE SAID FILLER PANEL SECTION ACROSS THE TOP OF SAID PEDESTAL FACE WITH SAID FRONT WALL LYING SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW THE UPPER PLANE OF THE PEDESTAL, SAID FRONT WALL HAVING A WALL OPENING, A LOCK TUMBLER MOUNTED IN SAID FILLER PANEL SECTION, AND FACING THROUGH SAID WALL OPENING, A MECHANISM MOVABLY MOUNTED TO SAID FILLER PANEL UNIT AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID LATCH BAR 